After being accused of brutally colliding with Terry Sanderson while skiing in Park City, Utah’s Deer Valley resort in 2016, Oscar-winning actress turned lifestyle entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow testified in a civil case. Who is responsible when one skier collides with another on the slopes is a subject of the case?
She can be ordered to pay Terry Sanderson millions of dollars in damages depending on where she is on the mountain in respect to his position on the mountain.
What is the Gwyneth Paltrow And Terry Sanderson ski trial all about?
The Deer Valley visitor sued Paltrow in 2019 on the grounds that she crashed into him from above while skiing carelessly, resulting in severe, lasting injuries and emotional distress.
Terry Sanderson, 76, filed a lawsuit against Gwyneth Paltrow, 50, alleging that she skied “out of control,” struck him in the back, “knocked him down hard, knocked him out,” and caused a traumatic brain injury, four fractured ribs, and other severe injuries. He’s asking for $300,000 in losses.
Afterwards, Ms. Paltrow filed a countersuit, alleging that Sanderson had struck her from behind. According to court records, she claimed that Mr. Sanderson had bumped into her and was using her reputation to get her to “give him millions.” She wants to be reimbursed for her legal expenses.
Uphill or downhill, whose fault is it?
Who of the two persons engaged in inappropriate behaviour while on skis is what ultimately determines the outcome of the case. “Negligence is the problem when one skier collides with another. Did they violate the law? Kohn Roth Law’s personal injury lawyer Roger Cohn stated.
When it comes to behaviour on the slopes, the uphill skier nearly always has a responsibility to watch out for the downhill skier. In other words, the person further down the slope on a downhill ski has the right of way.
“The downhill skier must be aware of the uphill skier. Chances are that you are accountable and at fault if you hit someone while overtaking them, Cohn continued.
The duty code of the National Ski Areas Association, which oversees ski areas in North America, states that “those ahead or downhill of you have the right of way. You must keep out of them”
Skiers must also have the aptitude to halt and “always stay in control” in order to avoid other persons.
What happened during the Gwyneth Paltrow And Terry Sanderson Ski trial?
According to Ms. Paltrow and Mr. Sanderson, they both had the right-of-way on the beginner’s run because they were the downhill skier. But Ms. Paltrow’s attorneys are also debating whether Mr. Sanderson’s injuries were caused by the collision, whether they came before it, or whether they were due to age.
Ms. Paltrow had a “responsibility to ski safely,” according to Mr. Sanderson’s attorneys, but she carelessly smacked Mr. Sanderson, a downhill skier who had the right of way, in the back instead, permanently injuring him.
The lifelong traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, agony, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and disfigurement are listed as some of Mr. Sanderson’s injuries in court filings. It further states that Mr. Sanderson “will continue to suffer injuries and damages in the future.”
The attorneys for Mr. Sanderson claimed that Ms. Paltrow struck him, fled the scene, and later denied or tried to hide her involvement in the collision.
Cutt stated: “In this trial, Sanderson claims he was the downhill skier and she crashed into him from behind, but she claims the exact opposite—that she was skiing along and he crashed into her from uphill.”
However, the decision is yet to come, regarding the fact it’s Gwyneth Paltrow is the big elephant in the room.